Review: Amp Boost Original (2012)

Pepsi’s AMP’s “Boost Original” is what appears to be the flagship flavor of Amp’s 2012 revised lineup. This particular flavor does taste like what we remember Amp tasting like, with a sweet flavor (58g of sugar per can) that’s heavy on the citrus flavors (it’s also made with orange juice concentrate) and has a mild bite to the finish. While it’s pleasant tasting as far as soda-like energy drinks are concerned, we wouldn’t mind if the liquid weren’t such an unnatural green color and if the drink didn’t have its syrupy finish (presumably from the high fructose corn syrup). Functionally, it appears to be a pretty standard blend of B vitamins, caffeine, ginseng, guarana, and taurine. That said, we’re not really sure what the word “Boost” means -- there’s nothing noticeably different about this product’s ingredients. Visually, the new design gives the product a fresh look, with a technical style to the graphics that feels in line with what the Amp brand is all about. However, there’s too much text on the package with the back panel of the can making a failed attempt to succinctly explain the new approach to Amp’s lineup. Overall, the taste is, at least compared to other soda like energy drinks, good, and the look of the product is much better than what Amp was previously going to market with. It does not, however, offer anything new to the category.